Delegated Legislation

Statutory Instruments

The most common form of delegated legislation, or secondary legislation, is Statutory Instruments. Those requiring parliamentary approval are subject to either the affirmative or negative procedure: this is explained in HCIO Factsheet L7.

The laying of Orders before the House of Commons is recorded in the Statutory Instrument List published by the Journal Office: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmsilist/cmsilist.htm. This list records when Orders were laid and in the case of affirmative instruments, whether a motion for their approval has been tabled. In the case of Negative Instruments, the number of praying days left (in which a motion calling for the instrument to be annulled may be laid) is noted.

Regulatory Reform Proposals and Orders:

Proceedings as at 12 October 2007

Under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001 (s 6(1)) the Government is able to make Orders to amend or repeal provisions in primary legislation, which are considered to impose a burden on businesses or others, which could be reduced or removed without removing any necessary protection.

For an explanation of Parliamentary consideration of Regulatory Reform Orders, see HCIO Factsheet No L7

Committee recommendation:

a)	a draft order in the same terms as the proposal should be laid before the House
b)	proposal should be amended before a draft order is laid before the House
c)	the order-making power should not be used in respect of the proposals
d)	draft order should be approved + indicates Committee's recommendation was agreed after a division
e)	draft order should not be approved
*	indicates stage taken formally, no debate
#	indicates report issued following amendments to draft order

Draft Proposals

Date Laid	Title	Lords Committee Report & Recommendation	Commons Committee Report & Recommendation
11.12.2006	Regulatory Reform (Game) Order 2006	HL 44 (a)	(a) 6.3.2007 (HC 384)
18.12.2006	Regulatory Reform (Collaboration etc Between Ombudsmen) Order 2007	HL 44 (a)	(a) 6.3.2007 (HC 383)
18.12.2006	Regulatory Reform (Deer) Order 2007	HL 44 (a)	(b) 20.3.2007 (HC 411)
18.12.2006	Regulatory Reform (Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) Order 2006	HL 44 (a)	(a) 13.3.2007 (HC 397)

Draft Orders

Date Laid	Title and SI Number	Lords Committee Report & Recommendation	Commons Report Committee & Recommendation	Consideration L (Lords), C (Commons)
9.5.2007	Draft Regulatory Reform (Collaboration etc between Ombudsmen) Order 2007		HC 611	26.6.2007 (C)
24.5.2007	Draft Regulatory Reform (Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) Order 2007		HC 673	5.7.2007 (C)
4.6.2007	Draft Regulatory Reform (Game) Order 2007		HC 674	25.6.2007 (C)
5.7.2007	Draft Regulatory Reform (Deer) (England and Wales) Order 2007		HC 948	24.7.2007 (C)